The Detroit Pistons are hoping to land the number one overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft but if you are a fan of Detroit, prepare for that not to happen.
The Pistons have had some of the worst lottery luck in the NBA, and the one time they did get the #2 pick, they used it on Darko Milicic. Ouch.
The only way the Pistons will be guaranteed to land in the top-five is if they have the worst record overall, which is going to be tough given Detroit’s pluckiness and Minnesota’s shameless tanking.
Of course we hope it doesn’t happen, but we have to be prepared for Detroit to land outside of the top-five, which would be devastating but is not unlikely given the odds.
Detroit Pistons: What are the Pistons lottery odds?
The Detroit Pistons currently have a 52.1 percent chance of landing in the top-four and a 14 percent chance of getting the number one overall pick.
In other words, even with the second-worst record in the NBA, nothing is guaranteed for the Pistons.
They are three games back of the league-worst Timberwolves and if they can’t get the overall worst record, they could slip out of the top-five. I did five simulations with the Draft Simulator and in two of them, Detroit did not get a top-five pick.
Although this would be extremely disappointing, it might not be the end of the world. Troy Weaver has shown that he has an eye for talent and this is considered a deep draft, though most agree that there is a drop-off after the top five.
Here are four potential Pistons draft picks if their bad lottery luck continues and they don’t get a top-five pick.